Whenever you put out a trail camera, you never know what you may see roaming around.
Deer, bears, mountain lions, hunters, zombies…
Or people pretending to be zombies.
According to Cowboy State Daily, Evansville, Wyoming police chief Mike Thompson had suspicions that a mountain lion was creeping around his town, so he decided to put out a trail camera to see if he could catch a glimpse of it.
Unfortunately, the mountain lion hasn’t made its appearance around the trail cam yet. However, he did manage to catch a terrifying creature pop up across the screen.
The camera caught a human figure, wearing what appears to be a terrifying looking zombie mask.
But, Evansville residents can sleep well at night, because that’s all it was… a mask.
And the culprit behind the prank? None other than the police chief himself.
Thompson told the outlet:
“That was the part of it being funny. We thought we could have some fun with it. The post was kind of a practical joke.
Last I looked, the post has reached about 36,000 people, so that’s pretty awesome.”
He said that the police department and fire department put on a haunted house and corn maze during Halloween time:
“We’re kind of known for scary things anyway. That was the mask I used in the haunted hay maze. People have responded to the post mostly in a positive way.
There have been a few negative comments, but most people appreciate it.”
Thompson said he got the idea after city maintenance crews began noticing antelope and deer carcasses in places where they shouldn’t be. They also noticed fresh mountain lion tracks, so they put the two and two together.
However, he couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to pull a joke on the community, and needless to say it worked.
Trail Camera Captures A Buck Following A Mountain Lion
What in the?
Aren’t the predators supposed to chase the prey? Isn’t the deer supposed to be afraid of the predators?
I guess some Disney type stuff is going on here…
Mountain lions are one of the most dangerous and elusive predators in the wild. They can weigh up to 200 pounds and be over 4 feet in length.
They are known for their stealth, agility, and efficiency as hunters. Powerful runners, they are capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, making them one of the fastest land animals in the world. Cougars also have powerful jaws and sharp claws, which they use to grab and hold onto their prey while they deliver the killer bite.
Also known as cougars, they are solitary hunters and typically hunt at night, using their stealth and agility to stalk and ambush their prey. Much like other big cats, they will often lie in wait and then pounce on their prey from behind, delivering a powerful bite to the back of the neck. They are capable of bringing down animals as large as elk, but their favorite prey is typically deer.
Which is why this trail camera caught something that just doesn’t make sense.
A cougar is seen walking on by, but immediately following it is a deer that is growing a nice set of antlers.
Like… following RIGHT behind it.
Normally, this deer would be nowhere close to this killer, unless it was already too late. Regardless of any circumstances or time of year, they are mortal enemies, if such a thing truly exists in the wild.
I mean, it almost looks like they’re just hanging out in the woods together, taking a nice stroll.
This is pretty unexplainable, but nevertheless, a very cool catch on the trail camera.
Colorado Teen Spots Mountain Lion Taking An Elk Down
Ruthless…
A Colorado teen captured some wild footage near Oak Creek, while driving on the highway near his home.
According to Field & Stream, 18 year old Sophia Benjamin was driving the car with some friends when she saw something on the road.
As the vehicle slowed, it became clear what it was: A mountain lion with its jaws wrapped tightly around the neck of a cow elk.
The elk tried to stomp the cat and shake it loose, but to no avail… clinging tight to the neck, teeth dug in deep, it took about 15 minutes for the big cat to bring the elk down.
15-year-old Tanner Cole-Wheeler filmed the brutal encounter, and for the driver Sophia, she says she’s never seen a mountain lion:
“I’ve seen elk and other wildlife, but I’ve never seen a mountain lion before. It was a very cool and a rare thing to see.”
There’s an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 mountain lions in the state of Colorado, and more than 280,000 elk, but you’re not gonna come across an encounter between the two of them very often.
And that elk is gonna last for quite a few meals… filling up the freezer, eh?
Canada Lynx Takes Down Adult Mule Deer
Size matters? Not to a lynx is doesn’t…
In this insane video filmed near Fort Saint John, British Columbia, we get to see just how powerful a lynx can be, even against an animal that weighs four times more than it does.
For starters, a full grown Canada Lynx tops out around 30 pounds, with most of them weighing somewhere around 20-25. A mule deer doe can get up near 180 pounds but most of them clock in somewhere around 150 pounds.
Of course these are just averages and estimates, but either way, you can see the stark contrast in size.
Did that stop this lynx? Nope.
The doe is able to land a kick during the initial attack, but as soon as that lynx latched on to the head and the neck, it’s all over.
According to Hinterland Outdoors, the lynx killed the muley and was spotted days later enjoying the spoils of its victory.
Nature, man… it’s wild.
The end result.
And he was still there, four days later.
